Moldovan PM says government partner of business people

Chisinau, 22 June /MOLDPRES/ - Prime Minister Pavel Filip and leaders of key public institutions in the management of the business environment had a meeting with entrepreneurs of the north-western Falesti district. The discussions were focused on the situation of the business environment from the region, impediments faced by entrepreneurs and possibilities of further facilitating their work, the government’s communication and protocol department has reported.    

The PM said that the government was speaking out for an open dialogue with entrepreneurs and the cooperation on this dimension was essential for Moldova’s economic development. “Be sure: you have a pro-business government. Moldova cannot develop without investing in the business environment. We make every effort to create qualitative services for the citizens and entrepreneurs,” Pavel Filip said.   

At the meeting, the prime minister referred to actions undertaken by the cabinet to facilitate the developing of business. In particular, Filip highlighted the cutting of the number of permissive acts, from 416 to 151. A single electronic window will be launched soon, which will allow asking for acts at distance and cutting the spending for business.

To diminish the administrative pressure on economic agents, the government reduced the number of bodies with control duties from 58 to 18; thus, savings worth 100 million annually were recorded for the public and private sector.

Pavel Filip also touched upon the amendments made to the Labour Code, in order to create more flexible conditions for employment and dismissal, as well as measures taken to strengthen the banking system.  

„Time is ripe to switch to another economic model in Moldova, from one based on consumption to one based on industrialization, on export, so that to attract investments,” the prime minister stressed.  

The measures undertaken by the government have facilitated the country’s economic growth, which stood at 4.5 per cent in 2017. On this period, also the exports grew by about 20 per cent, with 65 per cent of the exports going to the European Union. Positive developments have been registered in 2018 as well – in the first three months, the exports increased by one third and the average salary on the economy grew by 13 per cent, amounting to about 6,000 lei.  

The PM also referred to the improvement of the situation in the farming sector. In 2017, the agricultural production increased by 8.6 per cent. And the government helped farmers by increasing the subsidization fund up to 900 million lei. “This year, we launched the anticipated subsidization for young farmers, including women, who want to start businesses. This is also an opportunity for Moldovan migrants to invest in business here, at home,” Pavel Filip added.

The economic agents thanked for possibility to have sincere and constructive discussions and spoke about problems in their work. Among them, they mentioned the lack of transparency in establishing local taxes, difficulties in the public procurement system, limited domestic sales market, as well as problems in the authorization of the work of quarries.   

Prime Minister Pavel Filip said that the problems of economic agents would be considered by the competent ministries and governmental commissions, including at the economic council under the prime minister, in order to identify the best solutions.